


Boy Next Door

by kopycat_101



Series: Nathmarc November [21]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adorable Marc Anciel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, Bisexual Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Crush at First Sight, Crushes, Dorks, Fluff, Friendship, Gay Marc Anciel, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Marc Anciel Has an Anxiety Disorder, Nathaniel and Alix are Childhood Best Friends, Teen Crush, Teenagers, Wingman Alix Kubdel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:56:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27659171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kopycat_101/pseuds/kopycat_101
Summary: The artist shoves his hands in his skinny jean’s pockets, heart thrumming, trying to fight down his nerves.He’s going to meet his new neighbor. His verycutenew neighbor. And he has to deal with his best friend’s loud and chaotic self while doing it.A new family moves in next to the Kurtzbergs. Nathaniel instantly gets a crush. Alix acts like a gremlin.
Relationships: Alix Kubdel & Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marc Anciel & Alix Kubdel & Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marc Anciel & Nathaniel Kurtzberg, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Series: Nathmarc November [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994782
Comments: 17
Kudos: 39





	Boy Next Door

**Author's Note:**

> For NathMarc November Day 21: Communication
> 
> It's AU time again :)

* * *

A new family’s moving in next door.

It’s always just been the Kurtzbergs and Kubdels, for as long as he can remember. The other house next to his family’s just had a cycle of people moving in, staying for a small while, before selling the house and moving right back out.

The last of his neighbors that Nathaniel liked was Kasper, a shy boy from two years ago. His family was Norwegian and had a complicated last name that was hard to pronounce, but they were nice enough. And then they needed to move away because of work.

Nathaniel’s sort of lost count, the amount of times he’s had to go through the usual ritual of meeting new neighbors and getting to know them, only for them to leave.

Nathaniel’s beyond curious this time, though, because right from the get-go he sees the neighbors have a teenage girl around his age. She’s wearing a hoodie and black boots and skinny jeans. Coupled with the fingerless gloves and short-cropped hair, she looks fucking cool as hell.

Nathaniel is _instantly_ smitten. And because he’s smitten, he’s torn between introducing himself and avoiding the new neighbor.

Nathaniel was…well. He wasn’t exactly the best at talking with people. Social situations were bad for an anxious introvert like him. Communication was his massive weak point.

The redhead is half-tempted to call Alix up and ask for her advice on how to approach the newcomer, except he sees Alix running past his front lawn, making a beeline towards the punk-looking girl.

Oh hell. She better not scare the new girl away…

Nathaniel is half-tempted to run interference, but he stays rooted on the spot. Until Alix starts yelling up a storm towards his window.

“YO NATH, GETCHA ASS DOWN HERE!” the gremlin hollers, hands cupped around her mouth. Besides her, the new girl is laughing into her hand.

Ah, fuck. He can’t believe she’s done this.

On second thought, he does. Alix was chaotic in the best of times.

Sighing gustily, Nathaniel signals from his window that he’ll be right down, and turns to exit his room.

* * *

The artist shoves his hands in his skinny jean’s pockets, heart thrumming, trying to fight down his nerves.

He’s going to meet his new neighbor. His very _cute_ new neighbor. And he has to deal with his best friend’s loud and chaotic self while doing it.

Alix was too unpredictable to really pin down her actions, so Nathaniel was going in semi-blind. He sends a quick prayer up to God, and then steps out of the house.

“Took ya long enough!” Alix calls, and Nathaniel finds himself rolling his eyes as he walks over.

“Not all of us literally run everywhere, Alix,” he says, trying to keep his voice cool and even.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Alix huffs, turning to the newcomer. Who was even prettier up close, in person. Wow. Those _eyelashes_ and those _lips_ , and she’s got such gorgeous green eyes, and she’s wearing a choker. Jesus. A total knock-out. “This is the guy I was talking about.”

“Hey. I’m Nathaniel,” the redhead nods, giving a small smile. Cool, play it cool. Not too enthusiastic, but not disinterested either.

“I-I’m Marc,” the newcomer says, in a voice _much_ deeper than Nathaniel expects.

The redhead blinks, mind whirring quickly.

A guy? Well, his bisexual ass doesn’t mind one bit.

“It’s nice to meet you, Marc,” Nathaniel says warmly, probably accidentally laying it on too thick. Oh well.

The other boy giggles nervously into his knuckles, other hand fiddling with his choker. “Y-You too…”

Oh fuck. He’s cute.

“Nath over here may _look_ like a scrawny nerd, and he totally is—” “ _Hey_ —” “—but he’s also a huge fan of punk rock music too. I know all of fucking Green Day’s discography because of him.”

“Green Day are legends and _everyone_ should know their discography,” Nathaniel huffs, if only so he can see Marc’s reaction.

Marc laughs, covering his mouth with a hand. “Haha! Y-Yeah, I agree, though. They’re iconic.”

Cool cool cool. Impressing and keeping the attention of the cute punk boy? Check.

“You two have a lot in common already,” Alix drawls, eyeing Nathaniel with a knowing look. Wait, does she—never mind, she already knows. This is Alix, after all.

Jesus, is his best friend absolutely _terrifying_ , being able to figure that out in just a minute of interaction.

“What, um…What other bands to you like?” Marc asks, emerald eyes gleaming with interest.

Nathaniel finds his mind blanking at that exact moment. Oh God. Oh Goooood. “Blink-182,” he manages to get out. They were punk rock, right? He wasn’t going crazy?

“Oh, I love Blink…! Have you heard their new album yet?” the newcomer says excitedly, bouncing a little on his heels. Oh _fuck_ , he was cute. “It’s so good!”

“Yeah, I have,” Nathaniel says, relieved that he didn’t have to lie about that. “They really hyped up the singles for a few months before they finally dropped it. But they were good singles.”

“They were! And, okay—this may sound a _little_ basic, but…I Really Wish I Hated You was their most popular single for a reason.”

“Oh, definitely, it’s a _bop_.”

He earns another laugh from Marc, half-covered by his hand.

“Aaaaand that’s my cue to leave,” Alix deadpans. “Enjoy your nerdy music talk, boys.”

Marc’s easy-going nature seemingly switches on a dime. His eyes blow wide, and he straightens his posture, posture like a taut bowstring. “W-w-wait, I—I-I’m sorry—”

Alix raises a hand to cut him off. “It’s fine. We can talk later, ‘kay? I gotta finish cleaning my room before my Dad finds out anyways.”

“So you were using the neighbors moving in as an excuse to procrastinate, huh?” Nathaniel says, playing along with his best friend. A little white lie won’t hurt, especially if it helps calm their new neighbor down from having an anxiety attack by thinking he accidentally offended them.

God, Marc was absolutely _precious_ , despite the tough way he dressed.

“O-Okay…” the other boy trails off, fiddling with his choker and smiling shyly at Alix. “I-It was, ah, it was nice meeting you.”

“Likewise,” the girl nods, giving a two-fingered salute. “Later!”

And then Alix was running across the lawn like a speeding bullet, because she was a show-off.

“Al can be a little… _much_ to handle. But she’s always got your back, if you’re her friend,” Nathaniel says with a small smile over at Marc. “You’ll get used to it, I’m sure.”

“Sh-she’s nice, though,” Marc says, giving a nervous smile back. “She, um…She was really quick to s-say hi…”

“Yeah, that’s Alix. Always being the first to introduce herself,” the redhead says, a little fondly, shoving his hands back in his pockets. “Extroverts, am I right…?”

Marc nods, giggling. This time, without covering his mouth.

He has a very cute smile when he laughs. Nathaniel wonders why he covers it up at all. Anxiety, probably, but still. Just about everything Marc has done so far has been attractive or cute in some way.

“Marc…! Please come back inside!” a voice calls, cutting through the comfortable silence.

Nathaniel looks over at the neighbor’s house. A tall woman with tanned skin and curly hair pulled in a ponytail is standing right outside the front door, looking at them and waving with a smile. Marc waves back with a beaming grin.

“S-Sorry. My Moms want me back t-to probably help unpack, and stuff,” he says, smile turning shy and apologetic.

“It’s fine. You should go do that,” Nathaniel nods his head over in the house’s direction. “We can hang sometime soon, though.”

“I’d, um. I’d like that,” Marc says quietly, ducking his head to look at Nathaniel through his long lashes. The look hits him like a sucker-punch.

Cute and shy and pretty and nice? _And_ an introvert that likes the same type of music Nathaniel likes? Marc was quickly checking off all the boxes of what Nathaniel likes in a partner, and it was just their first meeting.

“C-Cool,” Nathaniel nods, backing up a few paces, heart fluttering as he smiles back at the other boy. “See ya later?”

“See you,” Marc agrees, with a little wave.

Maybe it was a trick of the light, but Nathaniel _swears_ the other’s cheeks turn pink, before the newcomer turns around and makes his way back towards his Mom.

Nathaniel finally turns around and walks back to his own house, a little hop in his step that he can’t fight down.

Maybe this whole ‘meeting new people and being decent at communication’ thing wasn’t too complicated after all…

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted something kind of cute and fluffy and short? Love me a cute AU with no stakes.


End file.
